I traveled to Alabama yesterday to spend the day with my mother. She is now 89 and struggling both physically and mentally. In some ways I think she is slipping away from us.

As I traveled both to and from my visit, I had a lot of time to think, pray, and reflect.

My brother and I would both agree we were raised by a wonderful woman. She was a good wife and a great mother.When I think about her, these are the things that matter most to me.

Though young (I was Born a week after she turned 19), she had amazing common sense and powerful biblical wisdom. She knew the Bible and knew how to apply it. She led me to faith in Christ by quoting Acts 16:31.

I was tremendously blessed by her positive attitude toward life. I remember during what at the time seemed like the darkest moment of my life (I had a crushed arm and was about to be operated on for appendicitis) she reminded me that God was in charge and that He had a plan for our lives. Boy, did she have that right.

I never saw my mother depressed or distant. She always had a positive outlook on life. I probably don’t have to remind you how wonderful it is to grow up in a home like that.

My mother loved the church and believed in it, but she also had a realistic outlook on people. She wasn’t naïve, and she didn’t quit.

As I see my mother struggling, it frankly breaks my heart. I am thankful for the wonderful hope we have in Christ—the hope she continues to believe and the hope on which we depend.

Because Christ lives “We do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at things which are seen, but at things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Bro. Bailey, thanks for the sweet blessing of sharing about your mother. I pray that God will continue loving her and comforting her through her last earthly step! God bless you and comfort you each time you think of your mother and rest assured that God’s loving on her as ONLY He can through her physical and mental suffering.

You are so blessed to be able to love on her at the age of 89. I have 3 siblings, 2 sisters and a brother, and momma died at the young age of 64 with lymphoma (two years after her diagnosis)….that was so hard to see her suffer during the last few months of her journey (we, too, are so thankful for Christian parents and despite all of life’s trials, God is GOOD! Momma left this world with a longing that our brother, Dale Graves, come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Dale is a good, moral, person (very shy, 53, has had diabetes since 15) and attends our old home church with our youngest sister at Harmony Missionary Baptist (in Pine)……but he has never made a public profession of faith in Christ. I mention this to you from a heavy heart with a longing for Dale’s salvation and PEACE that only Jesus can give. Thank you for remembering him in prayer. May God continue to bless you and Ms. Martha. So love you both!! Marie Kilgore

Thanks Waylon for your sweet comments about your Godly mother. What a blessing and how she influenced your life . May God give you strength and peace in this time of slipping away –it is so hard to see your parents slip away. Love you and than God for you and Martha being in our life.

Wonderful words! I too was blessed with a mom as you describe and strive daily to be that Godly example for my children. Only by God’s sweet grace do we moms leave that imprint on our families.
Praise Always,
Karen

We are praying for you and Vance and all the family. It was a joy knowning Margie Nell, what a precious woman she is. Don and I are praying she will feel Gods comfort and peace, along with all the Baileys. We love you and treasure your friendship through all these years!

Waylon, our thoughts and prayers are with you, your mom and your family. What a blessing to have a strong Christian matriarch such as your mom in your family! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
God bless you! Scott and Val